| Real Name/Full Name | James Mwangi |
| Nick Name/Celebrated Name: | James Mwangi |
| Birth Place: | Kangema, Muranga County, Kenya |
| Date Of Birth/Birthday: | 17 July 1962 |
| Age/How Old: | 62 years old |
| Height/How Tall: | In Centimetres – 178 cm In Feet and Inches – 5′ 8″ |
| Weight: | In Kilograms – 75 Kg In Pounds – 165 lbs |
| Eye Color: | Brown |
| Hair Color: | Black and grey |
| Parents Name: | Father – unknown Mother – Grace Wairimu |
| Siblings: | Unknown |
| School: | Nyagatugu Primary School, Ichagaki Primary School |
| College: | University of Nairobi |
| Religion: | Christian |
| Nationality: | Kenyan |
| Zodiac Sign: | Taurus |
| Gender: | Male |
| Sexual Orientation: | Straight |
| Marital Status: | Married |
| Girlfriend: | N/A |
| Wife/Spouse Name: | Jane Njuguna |
| Kids/Children Name: | Three sons |
| Profession: | Accountant, banker, and entrepreneur |
| Net Worth: | $170 million |
| Last Updated: | December 2024 |
Introduction
James Mwangi is a Kenyan accountant, banker, and entrepreneur who is currently the Group Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Equity Group Holdings Plc. Equity is one of the largest conglomerates with a huge customer base in the African continent, with over 14 million customers by the end of 2019.
Mwangi has been credited with democratizing financial access in African banks. Between 2007 and 2019, he was the Founding Chairman of the delivery board of Kenya Vision 2030.
Maybe you know about James Mwangi, but you don’t know how old he is and his personal life. Continue reading to know more about the life of James Mwangi.
Biography and Early Life
James Mwangi was born in 1962 in Kangema, Muranga County. He and his six siblings were raised by his mother single-handed as his father was killed in the Mau Mau war. He was still young, but he witnessed his family and community struggle, and this gave him the desire to better his life in the future.
He has praised his mother for raising him in a disciplined way and encouraging him to be hardworking. His mother also taught him to give back to society and to always remain humble. Mwangi is known to be number one in helping the less privileged. He especially gives education scholarships to the best performers but cannot afford them due to various problems.
Education
Mwangi was enrolled at Nyagatugu Primary School in his home area, in Kangema. He was then sponsored by the government and attended Ichagaki Secondary School. He attained his A-level education from Kigumo High School and studied English literature, economics, and geography. He graduated from the University of Nairobi with a Bachelor of Commerce.
Mwangi also passed Certified Public Accountant of Kenya thus is a CPAK professional. He did his advanced management program at IESE Business School in Barcelona, Spain.
Personal Life
Mwangi is a family man with a wife and children. He is married to the love of his, Jane Njuguna. They are blessed with three sons.
They own several shares with his wife in the stock of Equity Group Holdings and also in Britam Holdings.
Is James Mwangi Gay?
No. Mwangi is straight as far as sexual orientation is concerned. He is neither gay nor bisexual and has never had such rumors. He has only one wife and has been married for many years now. His family has not had any sought-of-family issues.
Professional Career
Mwangi worked for a short while at Price Water House as an editor of the bank, after which he joined Ernst and Young. He worked here for three years and then joined Trade Bank, where he worked until 1991 as the Group’s Financial Controller. He was invited to join the Equity Building Society by the senior executives of the bank. After he joined EBS, he became the Finance and Operations Director. He remained in this position until 2004, when he became the CEO.
Mwangi collaborated with the then Managing Director, John Mwangi, and Peter Munga, the chairman constituted aboard, and Mwangi converted 7 million into ordinary shares with EBS ad became one of the key shareholders of Equity Bank. The company made some losses which amounted to $60 thousand at that time which is approximately Kshs. 5 million every year. The total accumulated losses of Kshs. 33 million, approximately $380 thousand. The Central Bank of Kenya declared Equity Bank insolvent in 1993.
Equity was listed for the first time in Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) in 2006. In 2009, the company’s stock crossed Uganda Securities Exchange and then in 2015 in Rwanda Stock Exchange. Equity had over six subsidiaries in six countries and a commercial representative in Ethiopia as of December 2019.
Mwangi has served as a guest lecturer at Stanford University, Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Columbia University, among several others. He has served both board and advisory roles in various companies.
Among other of his contributions is the launching of the Wings to Fly initiative in 2010. The program was started to help needy children and sponsor their education. His family contributed $4 million to help aid in the COVID-19 pandemic.
Awards and Achievements
Mwangi has been honored with various awards, which are categorized into Global, Regional, and National honors. The global awards include the Oslo Business for Peace Award, Bloomberg 50, Ernst and Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year 2012, and The G8 Global Vision Award, among many others.
The regional awards include Think Business Banking Awards-CEO of the Year 2019 and 2020, African CEO of the Year-African Business Leadership Awards, and Innovation Leader of the Year, which was awarded by the Africa Investor Awards in 2012.
He has earned two National Honours from the Order of the Burning Spear, one as the Kenyan Chief and the other one Moran. He is also a recipient of the Uzalendo (patriotism) Award.
Net Worth, Salary & Earnings of James Mwangi in 2024
James Mwangi is one of the richest persons in Kenya, with an estimated net worth of $170 million. He has earned his wealth from his high profile of being a successful businessman and a banker. He has worked with various organizations before becoming the CEO of Equity Bank.
Some Interesting Facts You Need To Know
- He is the Executive Chairman of Equity Group Foundation.
- He holds several doctorate degrees from different universities in Kenya, including Kenyatta University, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Methodist University, and Africa Nazareth University.
- He is the current chancellor of Moi University College of Science and Technology.
James Mwangi’s Social Media
James Mwangi seems to be inactive when it comes to social media platforms from which he has a following of more than 7k in his Twitter account
Conclusion
James Mwangi is one of the most popular persons in Kenya. His contribution towards helping the needy students in society has greatly been appreciated by many. He has credited his mother, saying that he encouraged him to be hardworking and to always give back to society. Although he did not come from a wealthy background, he decided to better the situation of his home.
Am really inspired by the CEOs biography and l promise to be the next in Jesus name come what may.